Final Fantasy XV: The Fall of Niflheim
by V a n i s s
Summary: Four women find their futures entwined together as the clock counts down to the ascension of the King of Light, and the fall of Niflheim. Can they achieve the true ending and see the world at peace at last, or is Fate destined to repeat forevermore?
1. Prologue

In retrospect, it was safe to admit that none of this should have happened in the first place. The fact that she had even made it this far was a miracle, but the end of this adventure was approaching. That was the first thought that came to mind as the the daemon's giant blade came down at her, her own tiny body reacting far too slow. It was inevitable, was the second thought as she was sent across the room, crashing through a window and finally rolling to a stop like a flimsy ragdoll. As the final pages began to turn, the young woman decided to cling onto life a little more, and pulled her broken body a few feet away, and propped herself up against a tree. She clutched in her left hand a trinket, and with her right she attempted to keep the innards from escaping her body; she had yet to see the damage, but she just knew that it was something she couldn't stomach - she already felt the soaking warmth of her own blood and it pooled around her stiff body, and feel the absence of feeling anything at all. She wished it didn't have to end this way.

"No!" a pained cry broke through the night, and suddenly Prompto was there, falling to his knees by his side, crying and trying his best to help, but eventually settling to just try and stop the bleeding. "Hang in there!" was one of the things he told her, however as her vision began to swim in and out of the black unconsciousness, she was unable to make out the words spoken. She was sure he also had screamed for help, but the fight was still ongoing - no one was coming to help.

The girl lifted her bloody hand, and rested it atop his, and action that made the boy pause and whimper ever so slightly. "Prom..pto…" she managed to say through shallow gasps. "I…"

"No, shhh, don't," he insisted, trying to hold back tears. He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers, taking a shaking breath. "You're gonna be fine, don't w-"

"No…"

Prompto looked at her, and the tears began to stream down his cheeks. He sniffled, shaking his head, trying to deny what he knew would be the inevitable ending. "No," he said. "No, I can't- don't make me- I just…" Sniffling again, he took a breath. "Don't leave me, please," he begged through sobs that wracked his entire body.

"I'm… sorry…" the girl managed to say as she lifted her hand up to touch his cheek, her thumb gently brushing away his tears. It was truly her fault - if only she had not acted on her feelings, then maybe she would not have caused him so much pain and heartache. "...love… you…"

Through tears, the usually energetic blonde gave a sad smile. "Yeah, I know," he assured her. "I love you too." He gave a nod. "Always."

Leaning forwards, the two shared one last kiss before the story finally came to an end.

And then, it replayed.


	2. Chapter One: A Child of the Enemy

Everything began roughly two thousand years ago, after the War of the Astrals and the parasitic disease, Starscourge, that ravished Eos, mutating men and animals into daemons - monsters that thrive in the darkness. It was the fall of Solheim, and the stabilization of Eos - after the efforts of a healer by the name of Ardyn Lucis Caelum, who had absorbed the daemons into himself to save the people, and yet corrupting his own soul at the same time - that brought upon the founding of the four kingdoms: Lucis, Nilheim, Tenebrae and Accordo. Lucis and Tenebrae were kingdoms led by the divine bloodlines tasked by the Astrals to herald the coming of the King of Light - Tenebrae being led by the Nox Fleuret family where a chosen female member would serve as the Oracle, able to heal those afflicted with Starscourge, and commune with the gods. Accordo, the smallest of the nations, was surrounded by water and grew to be commercially popular. And the Empire of Niflheim, led by the Aldercapt dynasty, sought to revive the prosperity of the ancient civilization of Solheim.

It was in the year 358 M.E. that Niflheim declared war on the other countries in order to expand its territory; their two primary targets became the Kingdom of Lucis, which possesses the Crystal, and Tenebrae, led by the Oracle. A year later, the empire gained control of Tenebrae, and two and a half centuries later the Imperial Army has discovered daemons and began their efforts to recreate the might of the Solheimian Empire, as well as leading an assault on Lucis and Accordo, the latter being annexed in the process.

It was a tale that almost, if not exactly, everyone has heard at one point in their life, and often littered with more than enough recounts of how evil and villainous Niflheim really is. Their position in history that lead to such predictions of the empire, was not one without justifiable reason, however not every Nilf is and black-hearted as the land in which they were born into - ' _hate not the individual person, but the actions of the whole, as not every apple is rotten on the tree'_ \- as was the case of a particular pair of citizens, the High Princess Phoenyx and her older twin brother, the High Prince Rayvin, grandchildren of the Emperor Iedolas Aldercapt.

Phoenyx lifted her amethyst gaze from the plate in front of her, which had been laden with an assortment of roasted meats and vegetables all smeared over with a rich gravy. Although she had originally felt hungry when she had first sat down for dinner, the conversation that took place quickly lead to her appetite vanishing, which was not an uncommon affair when gatherings like this occurred. At the opposite end of the lengthy table sat her grandfather, and by his side was Deputy High Commander Ravus Nox Fleuret, and across from him the Chancellor Ardyn Izunia, as well as a company of other men she hadn't bothered to pay attention to in terms of introductions. The group seemed blissfully uncaring as they discussed the events that had unfolded during their invasion of Lucis over wine and fine meats, while she sat, distanced away from them as she fumed.

While Phoenyx had her own opinions on the matter, she had learnt it best to keep said opinions to herself, she was still a mere child in the eyes on the leaders around her, and her 'soft heart was still far too naïve to grasp the concept of their cause' - an excuse, Nyx thought, that was used in order to negate her attempts to reason them into trying to approach their situation with Lucis on more peaceful terms. In her own opinion, she was old enough to discuss the topic, yet the claim of 'almost eighteen' was not a persuasive enough remark to warrant any influence on the matter.

Nyx had actually been thrilled, excited even, to hear of the offer of peace Niflheim proposed to Lucis, as well as the engagement of Prince Noctis and the Oracle that had come of it. And now, after hearing of exactly what had taken place, she felt sick to her stomach. This was a plan that she had been so eager to see play out, a plan that she had wholeheartedly encouraged, only to find that the entire thing had been coated with deceit and lies and betrayal. Guilt stung at her heart, nagging at her to entertain the thought that this whole ordeal may have been partly to blame on her. Picking up the silver knife and fork, the princess slowly began to carve a miniscule amount of meat off of one of the slices that had been presented on her dish, in hopes that by keeping herself busy, she may drown out the sounds of their voices, or at least be enough to convince them that she was as one in their thoughts, and thus did not need to be pestered about her opinions on the subject at the present moment; so long as she acted normal, their attention would pass over her and they would - with any luck - not notice the blatant disgust and anger that was written all across her features.

Lifting the tiny cut of beef to her lips, the princess opened her mouth, and paused as a trifle of words rang somewhat louder than the previous conversation, as if it had jumped out at her specifically.

"-and speaking of marriages," one of the men, of whom she did not know the name of, spoke up, "is it not about time you arranged something for the princess, your grace? She _is_ almost eighteen, and being your only heir, she will need to marry and produce in order to secure the future of Niflheim."

Silver fork slipping from her fingertips, the dainty piece of cutlery clattered to the table, garnering the attention of the men present, as well as a servant who rushed forwards to make sure the princess was alright, though in that moment she did not want the help. She didn't necessarily _need_ the help either - it was a dropped fork, not an assassination attempt. In that moment, all she could do was selfishly think about how she wanted nothing but to leave it all behind - all the wars, the politics and courtly intrigue - but where could she go that the Empire would not find her? Nyx felt like a prisoner in her own skin, hopeless to act in accordance to the puppeteers strings that played her every move; this time, however, she moved first. Not willing to endure the eyes and scrutiny of her grandfather's company, Nyx kicked back her chair with a push, and stood up, flinching away from the servant who attempted to reach out to her and, with a final, fiery glare shot at the men at the table, the princess left the dining hall. The sound of her heels against the marble floor was all that was heard as she made her exit, while nervous glances painted with uncertainty and shock were cast around the table, silently questioning what on earth had just happened.

Nyx could only hope, as she stormed out of the hall with a form of moody gusto only a teenager could muster, that her grandfather would defend her, and tell his company that she was in no such need of marriages or heirs, however it was a mere fantasy. She knew the emperor well enough to know it was most likely something he had been considering now for quite some time, he probably even had a list of suitor candidates or something ridiculous like that already written up, which meant that now her engagement would be a concern that needed to be addressed as soon as it could be arranged.

Nyx pushed through the double oaken doors into her study; while every room in their home was, in proportions, quite large, her study was one of the smaller rooms - if you could imagine that. Bookshelves were split into eight aisles to her left, partnered with a central desk in front of lavishly large windows that looked out into a private garden filled with a variety of flowers and plants, statues and a large koi pond with a running fountain. To the left was filled with a few different instruments - grand piano, harp, violin - an easel, and shelves organised to store supplies and other interests of hobby. A long, plush sofa stretched along the line of windows, and curving around like a hook and covered in cushions of all sorts - velvet and silk, and even fluffy ones, some had lace, tassels or beads, and some were even in the shapes of animals; the coffee table in front of it was littered with books and drawing pads and utensils, but all of this was ignored as the young girl shut the door behind her and threw herself down upon the sofa, allowing the comfort of the foam to envelop her senses and dull her tempest of hormonally disproportionate emotions.

Nyx wasn't even given the chance to sulk about her own predicament, when the study doors opened. Frustrated, she blindly threw one of the beaded cushions at the unwelcome visitor, who gave out a surprised gasp, which was immediately muffled by the cushion hitting their face. Upon hearing this, Nyx sat herself upright, and coyly looked at the man who had walked in.

"Ah, it seems I've caught you at a bad time," Chancellor Izunia hummed to himself thoughtfully, now holding the beaded cushion in his hands, hat eschew as he weighed the situation with careful consideration. After a moment, he decided to proceed with whatever plan he had prior to opening the door, and cautiously inched inside the room. "Forgive the intrusion, your highness," he said, apologetically inclining his head into a bow as he shut the door behind him. "You left in such a flurry, I felt it was my duty to personally see to it that you were alright."

Nyx narrowed her eyes sceptically as she stood up, she was tiny in comparison to the Chancellor, who was over a whole foot taller than she was, even whilst wearing her platformed heels. "Well, I'm fine, so you can leave," she stubbornly insisted, not wanting to have to lay out her ' _childish problems'_ to an adult who would not, nor could she convince to, understand her issues and problems she had with a lot of what the Empire stood for these days. She expelled a sigh in frustration, and cast her gaze to the ground.

"Forgive me, princess, but I highly doubt that," Chancellor Izunia commented with an amused tone. He took a few more steps towards Nyx, careful as though she were a deer that might spook if not approached with great care. "I don't blame you for being upset either, my dear. You are, I believe, only seventeen? Raised in a time of war and forced to mature much faster than most children of your age…"

His words seemed to delicately echo her own thoughts, and soon Nyx found herself looking up at the Chancellor, signalling him to continue with her eyes which met his; amber on amethyst as they danced in the light of the glistening chandelier that hung in the centre of the study's high ceiling.

"The suggestion of marriage must frighten you a great deal," he guessed, watching her expression shift slowly to accommodate the conversation with sympathetic eyes.

"I… guess?" Nyx admitted, a little hesitant. "Not that it matters…" she added with a sigh. "My grandfather will listen to them. So it doesn't matter to them how old I am, my grandfather isn't getting any younger, and by rights I am his heir - or, at least, I am the one who will marry the next chosen Emperor."

With understanding eyes, Chancellor Ardyn Izunia approached the princess and, placing a hand on the small of her back, lightly guided her to sit down on the sofa beside him as he spoke. "I see," he said with a thoughtful nod, "and why is that?"

Nyx thought for a moment, then gave a puzzled frown. "What do you mean?" she asked, sitting down.

"If your grandfather dies before the war is over, would it not be Prince Rayvin to ascend to the throne?"

Nyx shook her head. "No, Rayvin won't come back. He's made his decision, and so has grandfather - he'll see to it that I'm wed as soon as possible. I believe he was already looking into it, but now its been brought up by someone of importance…""

Now, now, princess," he cooed, "he _is_ your brother, you should place more faith in him." He folded his hands in his lap and gave her a thoughtful look. "You don't trust that the Emperor will choose a noble husband?"

"I… no, I don't," she answered, lowering her gaze, slightly ashamed.

"Oh?"

"Whoever he chooses, it will be so that his legacy will continue, not someone who is best for me," Nyx explained. She was unsure why, but she felt oddly at ease discussing this with the Chancellor; the way he listened and seemed to understand her felt genuine, his concern and interest in what she had to say felt so real that it didn't even feel like she was speaking to the Chancellor Izunia she thought she knew, but someone else - someone kind, like a father, or perhaps a friend. "But, his legacy isn't the one that Rayvin and I envisioned for our Niflheim."

This earned a pause of thought, and it was clear to see that the statement had caught Chancellor Izunia off-guard. The Chancellor then tilted his head, as though the statement puzzled him and pried further into her thoughts. "And how would you see Niflheim evolve?"

Nyx blinked and her chest swelled; for the first time, an adult was taking her thoughts seriously, questioning her but in a way that did not feel as though it was an insult to her age and inexperience, and it wasn't just that. All her thoughts and passions about Niflheim came from her parents, they were beliefs they held onto before their death, and ones she felt it was her duty to see happen - and here was the Chancellor asking her about them.

"Well," Nyx said, taking a breath, "I would look towards the future, instead of looking back. My grandfather seeks to restore Solheim, as all the Emperor's before him, but the world has changed. We should change with it." She spoke with rushed words and incomplete thoughts, but each word seemed to have an excessive amount of thought and passion behind it. Noticing the Chancellor's expression shift from interested to impressed, the princess eagerly continued. "I would look only at what Solheim had done, and then modify that and expand on it. I would make it better than before. Niflheim… Niflheim is nothing like Solheim. Solheim was a unified kingdom for the most part, but there's no unity here, only dominion."

"You have a pure view on the world and its ways, don't you, my dear?" the Chancellor chuckled softly. "A recreation of a better Solheim through peace, and not war. If you truly decide to pursue this course, I wish you the best of luck."

Nyx's eyes glimmered as she smiled up at the Chancellor. She truly felt as though her words were being accepted, even as a rough draft, and not dismissed as a childish daydream, as they so often were. She glanced at her hands bashfully and exhaled. "They're idealistic dreams for now," she admitted softly. "I'm not so disillusioned to believe that it's simple, or even achievable, but thank you for listening to me nonetheless. I don't often hear such interest or encouragement, in fact I think it's safe to say you're the first adult to show either of those things."

"And why not?" Izunia questioned innocently; his word lassoed around Nyx's mind, planting questions and interest in a complicated puzzle, and brought her gaze up to look at him. "The people of Niflheim should line up at your door to beg for you to talk with them in such passionate tones. You care greatly for the wellbeing of others, and so selflessly wish to cast aside the work of your predecessors in order to better their lives and rid the world of turmoil." He gave a small nod, and smiled as he said the next few words clearly and with meaning. "You would be an Empress I would not hesitate to follow."

Nyx gushed, extremely flattered, her cheeks growing hot at his words, blossoming a cherry crimson blush across her face. She stammered uselessly, trying to find the words to counteract those he said, to find a way to dissuade him from his beliefs she felt she was bound to shatter, but were met only with a honeyed laugh and gentle eyes.

"How about I talk to your grandfather about the marriage proposal?" the Chancellor offered. "Perhaps I can pull some strings? What do you say, your highness?"

Nyx gaped up at Chancellor Izunia, barely remembering to close her mouth. "Wait- do you mean- really?! Yes, of course, yes!" the words rushed out in a mess, stammering and excitable.

The Chancellor gave a mischievous wink as he rose from his seat. "I'll see what I can do, your highness." And with an extravagant bow and a flourish of his wrist, he left the High Princess with her thoughts.


End file.
